I89I. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



117 



ally it is studded with small bulbs throuirhout 

 its entire length. A cluster of bulbs is shown in 

 accompanying illustration. The leaves of this 

 Lily are very sharp-pointed and arranged in re- 

 frular whorls around the stem, a considerable 

 space generally existing between each whorl. L. 

 superbum is found from Canada to Georgia and 

 Carolina, its nearest ally being L. Canadense. 

 also from the same region. The bulbs of these 

 two greatly resemble each other. The Swamp 

 Lily is at its best during the latter part of July 

 and the first half of August. Judging by my 

 own experience, the consistency of the soil does 

 not appear to be of as great importance as might 

 be supposed from its popular name. I have seen 

 it thrive equally well in a heavy loam and in a 

 compost consisting principally of peat. Suc- 

 ceeding as it does under such diverse conditions, 

 a place for this Lily might be found in many 

 gardens, as it is undoubtedly among the more 

 select members of this beautiful genus. —G&rden, 

 London, England. 



Hardy Climbine Bosea. -In the Prairie Rose 

 (Rosa setigera) we have a class of hardy native 

 climbing Roses, often found growing wild in 

 Michigan and the Western States, which we may 

 plant with confldence. Two of the more com- 

 monly known Roses of this class, which are 

 favorites everywhere on account of their hardi- 

 ness, free blooming, and the fact of their flowers 

 appearing just after the other varieties are near- 

 ly over, are Queen of the Prairie and Baltimore 

 Belle, varieties, that were raised in the year 1843 

 by a Rose grower named Feast, in Baltimore, 

 from seeds of the wild Prairie Rose, crossed with 

 some European variety These two, the former 

 red and the latter white, when grown near each 

 other on the same porch, or with intertwining 

 branches heighten each other's beauty by con- 

 trast. Both are of rapid growth, and may be em- 

 ployed to advantage for covering any unsightly 

 objects, as walls, old trees, old buildings, etc. 

 Among the most desirable Roses of the Prairie 

 class we have Annie Maria, vigorous, pale pink, 

 .very tew thorns; Baltimore Belle, pale blush, 

 changing to white; Gem of the Prairies, free, 

 believed to be from Queen of Prairies crossed 

 with Madam Laffay, rosy red, occasionally blotch- 

 ed with white, large, flat flowers, slightly fra- 

 grant; Queen of the Prairies, vigorous, rosy red, 

 frequently with a white stripe, medium or large 

 size, double, foliage large, five leaflets, quite 

 serrated; Triumphant, vigorous, rosy pink, 

 medium size, double or full, distinct, seven leaf- 

 lets are common. 



Cat-Proof Nest Box. A correspondent of 

 Amateur Gardening, for the purpose of invest- 

 igating the damage or benefit resulting from 

 birds, especially English sparrows, hangs up a 

 few boxes of a suitable size for nests under the 

 eaves of buildings on the premises. This gives a 

 chance to see what is going on when the young 

 are being provided for. Aphides, grubs, cater- 

 pillars, beetles, and many insects are carried in 

 and consumed in these little homes. Such homes 

 are consequently under control, and if too much 

 mischief is going on, the simple plan of depriv- 

 ing the birds of their eggs so reduces their num- 



CAT-PKOOF BIRD NEST BOX. 



bers as to become bearable, and their presence 

 in small quantities not objectionable. Apart 

 from all the black marks on either character, 

 I have noticed during the three past bad fruit 

 seasons on account of the "caterpillar blight," 

 that wherever there were plenty of sparrows 

 there was a good crop of Apples, and many a 

 village cottager or amateur could boast of more 

 fruit in a small garden, and even on a single 

 tree, than a farmer with acres of fruit planta- 

 tions. Cats are liable to tamper with nests ac- 

 cessible to them. Therefore the nests should 



be arranged somewhat like the one shown in the 

 accompanying illustration. 



Orapes at Lake Keuka. What is said In regard 

 to the policy and necessity of Introducing, as 

 fast as possible, earlier varieties, like the White 

 Diamond, the Green Mountain and others 

 equally as promising, we can most heartily in- 

 dorse. The proper course to pursue is to retain 

 all the present approved standard varieties, 

 make the most of them, and plant new vineyards 

 of the best, hardiest and most prolific earlier 

 varieties. We do not believe that the time has 

 come to discard the Catawba, because in the 

 past two phenominally unfavorable seasons it 

 has not ripened as well and fully, as could have 

 been desired. Last year (1890) 

 it was a large crop' on 

 Eeuka. Only a very small 

 portion of it was lost by fall 

 frosts; and though all Grape 

 prices ruled very low, the Ca- 

 tawba was probably as profit- 

 able as any other variety cul- 

 tivated on this lake. The crop 

 as a whole, including all varie- 

 ties, was large— much more so 

 than had been expected in the 

 earUer part of the season. We 

 venture the opinion, founded 

 on the most reliable data, that 

 could be obtained, that the 

 bearing acreage of 1890, on 

 Lake Keuka, was from 10,000 

 to 13,000, and that the average 

 product was over two tons to 

 the acre, and in exceptional 

 cases, as high as three and 

 even four tons per acre.— The 

 Vinyardist. 



The S-woid Fern. One of the most satisfactory 

 plants for a hanging-basket or vase is Nephro- 

 diiiin eraltatnm^ or Sword Fern. While lacking 

 the grace of the Adiantums, it makes up by its 

 vigor and the ease with which it adapts itself 

 to culture in ordinary rooms. Few Ferns can 

 be grown well outside a greenhouse, but I have 

 seen very fine specimens of the Sword Fern 

 growing in the sitting-room window. It is a 

 rapid grower, throwing up many fronds from 

 eighteen inches to two feet in length. These 

 droop gracefully over the basket, and their rich 

 dark-green color shows to good advantage when 

 the plant is suspended in the window. Keep 

 the foliage clean by frequent showering, and 

 free from scale by washing occasionally with 

 weak soap suds. The texture of the leaf is thick 

 and leathery, and because of this, the plant is 

 able to flourish in rooms where most Ferns 

 would die. Give it a soil of leaf-mold and never 

 let the roots get dry. Wherever the frond 

 touches soil it sends out roots, and in this man- 

 ner the plant multiplies itself.— Stockman. 



The Smallest Flowering Plant. The WolflSa 

 microscopia, a native of India is the smallest 

 flowering plant known. It belongs to the Duck- 

 weed family. It is almost microscopic in size, 

 destitute of proper stem, leaves and roots, but 

 having these organs merged in one, forming a 

 frond. There is a prolongation of the lower 

 surface, the purpose of which seems to be to 

 enable the ])lant to float upright in the water. 

 The fronds multiply by sending out other fronds 

 from a slit or cavity, and with such rapidity 

 does this take place that a few days often sufBce 

 to produce from a few individuals enough simi- 

 lar ones to cover many square rods of pond 

 surface with the minute green granules. Small^ 

 as these plants are, they bear flowers. Two are 

 produced on a plant, each of them very simple, 

 one of a single stamen and the other of a single 

 pistil, both of which burst through the upper 

 surface of the frond.— London Tit-Bits. 



Fruits from the Bahamas. Only Pineapples 

 and Oranges are exported in any quantity. The 

 home market consumes substantially all other 

 fruits, except a few Bananas and (-ocoanuts which 

 find their way to southern ports. The number 

 of Oranges shipped in 1889 was ;;,316,3T0, against 

 3,060,000 in 1888. The orchards have not yet re- 

 covered from the injuries done by the scale 

 insect a few years ago. Prices were slightly 

 better the past year, declared values being $U,- 

 800. against $9,.54.5 in 1888. The Pine-apple crop 

 was very unprofitable, less than the usual de- 

 mand prevailing,, so that only 283,000 dozens 

 were shipped in 1889, against .546,000 dozens the 

 previous year. The crop was invoiced at $205,- 

 000inl88S, but in 1889 only at S13o,000. About 

 the usual quantity of fruit was canned at the 



factories. The fruit trade is almost entirely 

 with the TTnited States.— From Report of 

 Consuls of U. S. 



Onion Mairgot. Having this trouble on my 

 farm, while preparinvr to abandon one of my 

 beds, I heard an old market gardener state that 

 he had had no serious trouble from the maggot 

 since he had tried the hen-and-chicken remedy. 

 He stated that it was his practice to confine a 

 hen with chickens on each acre of his Onion 

 ground, soon after the plants appeared above 

 ground,- the hen to be confined in a small coop 

 which allowed the chickens easy access in and 

 out. The chickens he stated, soon got track of 

 the fly and devoured it while depositing its eggs. 



BULBS AND BULB SCALES OF LILIUM SUPERBUM. 



The past season I tried the experiment, locating 

 three broods on about as many acres, putting in 

 one in about the middle of each. As to the re- 

 sult, my Onions were much less injured by the 

 maggots than they had been the year previously, 

 and I strongly inclined to award the credit to 

 the feathered hunters.— Rural New Worker. 



Stable Manure for the Garden. No stable 

 manure is tit to use under a year if made in the 

 usual sbpshod style. There is but one way to 

 prepare it for garden purposes. It must be 

 piled up in heaps any length, four feet wide. 

 two feet high, kept slightly moist, and turned 

 over, the outsides turned in, and so worked over 

 three or four times every season. If this is done 

 in a thorough manner, ever.v seed will rot, and 

 the manure will be clean, and clean food will 

 make clean land. It would be just as sensible to 

 feed gravel stones to a baby as weedy manure to 

 a garden. In point of fact, until the weed seeds, 

 the straws, the husks, hulls, and all the trash 

 in a manure heap (so called), is rotted down it 

 is not manure at all.— Germantown Telegraph. 



English Comment on Hairy Flowers. As re- 

 gards novelties, attention must be given to that 

 American introduction, Mrs. Alpheus Hardy 

 Chrysanthemum, which created such a furore on 

 its arrival, and it has been generally relegated to 

 a very low place in the list of favorites, chiefly 

 on account of its very weak constitution, and, at 

 the best, its flowers are far behind some others 

 in beauty ; indeed, its hairy petals alone render 

 it acceptable, and then more as a curiosity. We 

 have also seen other flowers of the incurved sec- 

 tion displaying a strong tendency to go ofi' in 

 that direction, and so we may get a race of a 

 section of " hairy" flowers, but we would rather 

 be without them.— Gardener's Chronicle. 



Growing Flowers for Perfume. An important 

 branch of agriculture in Southern France is the 

 raising of flowers for perfume making, the chief 

 centre of the industry being at Grasse. Among 

 the flowers grown are the Violet and Jonquil, 

 which are gathered in winter or early spring; 

 Roses, Orange Blossoms, Thyme, and Rosemary, 

 in July and August ; Lavender and Spikenard, in 

 September; and the Acacia, in October and No- 

 vember. The flowers thrive best at altitudes of 

 500 to 3,000 feet, and in soil rich in lime and shel- 

 tered from cold winds. The flowers are collected 

 daily and while yet fresh, are used for making 

 essences, oils, and pomades.— Mass. Ploughman. 



Soot Water for Plants Take a peck of fresh 

 soot, tie it in an old canvas bag, and sink it in a 

 barrel of water (:16 gallons) ; stir it frequently 

 with a stick until the water has penetrated the 

 bag. Dilute the soot-water with four times the 

 quantity of plain water. When the water in 

 the tub gets low reflll it again, and give the bag 

 of soot a good stirring. Possibly the next brew 

 will not requij-e so much diluting. Another way 



